Expert Star Battle

Expert Star Battle answer — November 5, 2026

Stuck on the November 5, 2026 expert Star Battle (also called Two Not Touch)? Here's the complete step-by-step solution to the 10×10 grid — every star placed with pure logic, one deduction at a time, no guessing. Tap Next to step through it, or brush up on the rules first.

Solve walkthrough Step 1 of 57

Full written solution

Every deduction from the walkthrough above, in order. Each technique is explained in the Star Battle strategy guide.

  1. Starting position — the grid is split into regions (bold outlines). Each row, column, and region needs exactly two stars, and no two stars may touch.
  2. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 3, column 2).
  3. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 2).
  4. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 3, column 3).
  5. Mark 6 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 3).
  6. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 1).
  7. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 1).
  8. Row 3 complete: Mark 6 remaining cells as X (row 3, column 5).
  9. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 6).
  10. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 2).
  11. Undercounting: 4 regions fit in rows 1-4, eliminate 4 outside candidates (row 4, column 5).
  12. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 4, column 6).
  13. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 5).
  14. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 8).
  15. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 8).
  16. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 7, column 10).
  17. Mark 5 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 9).
  18. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 10).
  19. Column 10 complete: Mark 3 remaining cells as X (row 2, column 10).
  20. Clump analysis (Column 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 9, column 8).
  21. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 9).
  22. Clump analysis (Column 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 7).
  23. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 4).
  24. Generalized counting (columns 1-3): region star limits exclude these cells (row 8, column 3).
  25. Composite container (rows 7-10): Regions 2 and 4 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 3 of the band's 8 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 8, column 2).
  26. Composite container (rows 6-10): Regions 2, 3, 4 and 9 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 1 of the band's 10 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 7, column 2).
  27. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 1).
  28. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 6, column 3).
  29. Clump analysis (Row 1): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 5).
  30. Clump analysis (Row 5): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 7, column 3).
  31. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 4).
  32. Row 7 complete: Mark 4 remaining cells as X (row 7, column 1).
  33. Column 3 complete: Mark 3 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 3).
  34. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 1, column 2).
  35. Clump analysis (Region 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 6).
  36. Clump analysis (Region 9): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 6, column 1).
  37. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 2).
  38. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 4).
  39. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 5).
  40. Column 1 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 8, column 1).
  41. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 2).
  42. Clump analysis (Row 6): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 8, column 5).
  43. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 4).
  44. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 5).
  45. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 4).
  46. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 7).
  47. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 10, column 4).
  48. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 8, column 8).
  49. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 7).
  50. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 7).
  51. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 9).
  52. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 10, column 9).
  53. Column 7 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 6, column 7).
  54. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 10, column 6).
  55. Column 6 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 6, column 6).
  56. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 8).
  57. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.

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This step-by-step walkthrough is generated by the TryHard Puzzles solver to teach Star Battle (Two Not Touch) solving technique.